Australian News

The most livable city again Melbourne

For the sixth year in a row, Melbourne has topped The Economist's list of the world's most liveable cities.

Lord mayor Robert Doyle said retaining the title was something for which all Melburnians should be proud.

"We do not take this title for granted and are constantly planning and implementing policies that will continue to improve our quality of life," Cr Doyle said.

"It is an exciting time in Melbourne: We've got many major infrastructure projects under way, including the Metro Tunnel, and the proposed renewal of the Queen Victoria Market precinct."

Sydney is one of the biggest losers of this year's report, tumbling out of the top 10 most liveable cities. The harbour city fell four places to 11th, owing to a heightened perceived threat of terrorism.

Adelaide has managed to hold on to its title as the world's fifth-most liveable city, tied with the Canadian city of Calgary.

Overall the survey reported increasing instability around the world, including through civil war and other violent acts.

"This has been a year undoubtedly marked by terrorism," the report said.

"While not a new phenomenon, its frequency and spread have increased noticeably and become even more prominent in the past year."

Paris (32nd place) and Athens (69th place) were among the cities that experienced the biggest declines in liveability in the past five years.

The Syrian city of Damascus – gripped by a bloody civil war – was ranked last among the 140 cities.

Vienna was ranked the world's second-most liveable city, followed by Vancouver and Toronto, nipping at Melbourne's heels by just a few percentage points.

Despite her pride in the city topping the table again, deputy lord mayor Susan Riley acknowledged Melbourne could still make improvements by planting more trees and providing better footpaths for pedestrians and cyclists.

"The Queen Victoria Market [makeover] is another way we can go forward," she said.

The accolade for Melbourne also comes amid a number of worrying changes for the city.